Within the field of human/computer interaction, many devices are configured to present notifications of information to a user that the user may find notable and/or timely. As a first example, upon receiving an incoming call or a message, a device may ring, flash, or buzz to notify the user of the communication and to enable the user to respond in a prompt manner. As a second example, a device may monitor a calendar of a user for an upcoming appointment, and may present a reminder when the appointment is imminent, such as a reminder presented 15 minutes in advance of the appointment. As a third example, a device may enable a user to follow a route to a destination by presenting a series of navigation notifications (e.g., “turn right in 0.5 kilometers”). As a fourth example, a device may utilize a geofencing technique to associate a location with a message, and may present a notification of the message to the user upon the user's arrival at the location.
In many such scenarios, notifications may be presented to the user in a prompt and timely manner, but may be presented at an inconvenient time that interrupts an activity of the user. For example, the user may be in the midst of a conversation with another individual, and the presentation of a notification may interrupt the conversation and/or distract the user by interjecting a ringtone, flashing, buzzing, or other notification modality. Although the user may appreciate some interrupting notifications such as an emergency call or the timely presentation of an urgent reminder, other instances of interruption may serve to frustrate the user.
In view of such frustration, many devices provide a variety of techniques for reducing the interrupting effect of notifications. As a first example, while engaged in a conversation, the user may set the device on mute, select a more subtle interaction modality (e.g., buzzing rather than ringing), disconnect the device from the communication channel for receiving notifications, or entirely turn off the device. As a second example, the device may provide a mechanism for canceling or delaying the presentation of a particular notification, such as refusing an incoming call and redirecting the caller to voicemail. As a third example, the user may select a notification mode of the device such as “Do Not Disturb,” which may selectively present some notifications that are identified as urgent or higher-priority (e.g., messages from close contacts), while delaying the presentation of notifications that are deemed not urgent or lower-priority (e.g., messages from acquaintances or unknown senders).